This Week In Movies: ‘The Dinner,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’

This week in movies, the new release slate is not a Hollywood moviegoer’s dream. There is only one tentpole movie release, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and the rest are indie fare that lack buzz and excitement. The exploration of the human spirit is the common theme among our limited releases and though that’s not exciting, it is interesting. GOTG 2 is as much fun as you’ll have at the movies this summer, but Richard Gere’s family thriller The Dinner, does capture a feeling of Roman Polanski’s Carnage. Some star power also helps indie films with stars such as Naomi Watts and Liev Schrieber leading their respective films. See what interests you and let us know. Enjoy the trailers and listen to our podcast for our in-depth reviews of this week’s releases and more!

WIDE RELEASE

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PG-13, 136m, Action, Sci-Fi)
Director: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel
Synopsis: Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.

INDIE & LIMITED RELEASES

The Dinner (R, 120m, Drama, Thriller)
Director: Oren Moverman
Cast: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Steve Coogan, Rebecca Hall
Synopsis: A look at how far parents will go to protect their children. Feature film based on a novel by Herman Koch.

Risk (1hr 24m, Culture & Society)
Director: Laura Poitras
Cast: Julian Assange, Sarah Harrison, Jacob Appelbaum
Synopsis: The story of WikiLeak’s editor-in-chief Julian Assange.

Chuck (R, 1hr 41m, Drama)
Director: Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl
Cast: Liev Schrieber, Elisabeth Moss, Naomi Watts, Ron Perlman
Synopsis: A drama inspired by the life of heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner.

3 Generations (92m, Drama)
Director: Gaby Dellal
Cast: Naomi Watts, Elle Fanning, Susan Sarandon, Tate Donovan
Synopsis: After Ray decides to transition from female to male, Ray’s mother, Maggie, must come to terms with the decision while tracking down Ray’s biological father to get his legal consent.

The Lovers (R, 94m, Comedy)
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Cast: Debra Winger, Tracy Letts, Aidan Gillen, Melora Walters
Synopsis: Debra Winger and Tracy Letts play a long-married, dispassionate couple who are both in the midst of serious affairs. But on the brink of calling it quits, a spark between them suddenly reignites, leading them into an impulsive romance.

Mr. Chibbs (86m, Documentary)
Director: Jill Campbell
Cast: Kenny Anderson, Natasha Anderson, Nate Archibald, Tiki Barber
Synopsis: Ten years after retirement from a career as a professional athlete, Kenny Anderson finds that basketball is easy, it’s life that’s hard. Still reeling from his mother’s death, the former New York City high-school prodigy and NBA All-Star loses a cherished coaching position, sending him into a midlife crisis. Facing his personal demons head-on, the charismatic Anderson must come to terms with his past in order to find a way forward.

This Is Not What I Expected (NR, 1hr 45m, Comedy, Romance)
Director: Derek Hui
Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chiling Lin, Yi-zhou Sun
Synopsis: An obsessive CEO of a company meets a ragged chef by chance. They are drawn closer together because of their love for delicacies, yet their personalities clash big time.